Meet The Teachers

A. Karen Alfke

Karen learned to knit and design simultaneously from her aunt in Germany, a talented knitter who doesn't use other people's patterns. When she moved back to the US, Karen has developed a line of patterns, called Unpatterns™, based on the techniques she learned from her aunt. Unpatterns™ are "design tools for the independent knitter" and walk knitters through the design process using their own yarn and gauge. Now, Karen is publishing her own designs through 2nd Nature Design™. Her goals are to create beautiful things and to make more independent knitters. Karen has taught at Stitches events, Madrona Fiber Arts Festival and other gatherings. Karen blogs about her knitting and her patterns at her website: www.2ndesign.com

M'Lou Baber

M'Lou Baber began working in the medium of Double Knitting in the early 1990s. Her designs and techniques habe been published in Threads and Interweave Knits magazines, as well as in the books, Great Knits and Sweaters from Camp. Throughout her life, M'Lou has been involved in a number of artistic disciplines, including silversmithing, painting, and dressmaking. She has exhibited at juried shows around the country and has received several awards for her watercolors. Her new book, Double Knitting: Reversible Two Color Designs, features stunning garments with a simplified technique for double knitting.

Ann Budd

Ann is an author and editor at Interweave Press. Most knitters own at least one of her books: The Knitter's Handy of Patterns, The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, Getting Started Knitting Socks, Simple Style, Bag Style, or Knitted Gifts. She received the Master Knitter certificate from The Knitting Guild of America in 2000. Her best testimonial to her teaching: all three sons are knitters!

Susanna Hansson

Susanna grew up in Sweden and learned to knit in elementary school, like the other girls her age. But she didn't find her inspiration until much later, when she moved to the U.S. and joined the Seattle Knitters' Guild. Susanna researches traditonal knitting techniques and shares that extensive knowledge with her students. She has been teaching for 20 years and her classes are always popular at Stitches and similiar events. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with Susanna and get in-depth experience knitting the beautiful Lapland mittens. You can learn more about Susanna on her website at: www.oneofsusannas.com

Judith Swartz

As the former editor of Crochet magazine, Judith loves and respects all that crochet has to offer. She wrote Hip to Crochet and Getting Started: Crochet. Judith also designs for knitters and is the author of Hip to Knit. For your canine companion, Judith wrote Dogs in Knits - sweaters your dog will be proud to wear. Her patterns have been published in numerous magazines and books from Interweave Press. Look for her designs in the Interweave Store on-line. 

Amy Tyler

Amy Tyler is a talented spinner and knitter who has taught at several Midwest events where Yarns by Design was a vendor. Her spinning classes were the talk of the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool festival in 2008. She's one of the few folks who offers classes on spinning energized singles and the fun of knitting with these unusual yarns. She has been published in Spin Off magazine and has one numerous honors for her spinning. Amy has a PhD in Animal Physiology and a BFA in Modern Dance.